There’s Only One Train Station Like This In All Of Massachusetts And It’s Magnificent
By Melissa Mahoney|Published January 19, 2022
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Melissa Mahoney
Author
I'm an east coast girl living in a west coast world. I grew up in New England before moving to SoCal for several years. I then lived in NYC or a year before moving to AZ in 2009. I worked in the entertainment industry for many years of my adult life and have a deep love for photography, writing, and traveling around the U.S. as well as to far-flung locations around the world. Travel is my life and writing about it is a dream!
The year was 1911 when Union Station in Worcester was built, replacing an earlier station that had been constructed in 1875. Today, its striking French-Renaissance style stands out in the industrial city of Worcester it calls home. Over 100 years old, this historic train station in Massachusetts is on the National Register of Historic Places – there’s no other train station quite like this in the state.
Worcester Union Station is a stunning example of French-Renaissance architecture. It was built in 1911 for the B&A Railroad (Boston and Albany), replacing a previous station. Once finished, it was also used by several other lines including the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad as well as the Boston and Maine Railroad.
When it was complete, Union Station was considered one of the most beautiful buildings in the state. However, it fell into disrepair over time and train service slowly ceased. By 1972, it was boarded up and left to abandon.
In the late 1990s, plans emerged to renovate and restore the crumbling train station. By 1999, Worcester's Union Station reopened, looking quite similar to the original.
The two 175-foot towers were rebuilt, the marble floor and the stained glass ceiling in the main hall were restored, and red oak was added as trim. This train station truly experienced its own Renaissance!
Not only is this a transportation hub for Central Massachusetts, but an event venue as well. Throughout the year, several private and public events are held in the Grand Hall.
Worcester's Union Station currently serves Amtrak and MBTA. It's also a service hub for several bus companies. Whether or not you are traveling to or from this train station, it's worth stopping by just to marvel at its beauty and grandeur.
Have you ever visited this historic train station in Massachusetts? You can read more about the Worcester Union Station on The City of Worcester website.
There’s something quite alluring about train travel, isn’t there? If you’ve ever wanted to take a scenic train ride, check out these incredible day trips you can take by train in Massachusetts.
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